Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1862: Cruel start (3)

"Well, what do you think of the store's items? Pretty pricey, right?" Zizikaba remarked to the fresh recruits down below, flashing his usual irritating grin.

"No worries, they're about to get pricier still. Once this short cycle wraps up, prices for sales will jump another ten percent!"

The folks underneath burst into a frenzy of noise.

In truth, just a handful could actually buy stuff from fellow rookies; for the majority, the store was their only option to fill needs. Prices had already spiked ten percent from an outrageously high starting point this round, and with another hike coming, all those hard-won points would flow straight back into the system.

Just check the sharp drop in points at the beginning of these last two short cycles versus the peaks right after they finished!

"Plus, plenty of you have raked in big gains through your professions. From the upcoming cycle onward, you'll need to buy a set stall for selling goods, and expect a 20% tax on every sale. Put simply, no more off-the-books deals inside the camp."

This policy stirred up a storm of emotions—non-crafters rejoiced that the points divide wouldn't grow so vast, but those skilled in crafting fretted over the tougher battles ahead.

"Did Zizikaba handle the newbie battleground back in the day too?" Ye Zhongming abruptly questioned Helsky and Jie Kui, the pair with the best intel.

Yet even they lacked knowledge on that front and merely shook their heads.

"What's going on, Boss? Anything off about it?" Jie Kui inquired.

"Nah," Ye Zhongming murmured, his gaze fixed on the airborne silhouette. "It's just odd— if he oversaw the newbie battleground previously, how has he survived this long? Are the survivors from here really that mild-mannered?"

The group chuckled quietly at his words. It looked like if Boss Ye escaped this place, Zizikaba might face some serious payback down the line.

"On top of that, anyone in the top five thousand spots on the points list can't enter zones one to ten anymore."

Yet another brutal restriction, bound to claim plenty of lives.

To countless eyes, those initial ten zones provided the top value for effort. Sure, points per kill stayed modest, but the foes weren't overly tough. With their hordes and diverse types, it proved an ideal spot for grinding.

A ton of people had struck it rich in those areas.

Barring the top five thousand now forced them into riskier territories, which would pack more rookies into the remaining spots and spark even more clashes.

"Oh yeah, this round's bottom-tier elimination won't stick to a set quota. It'll wipe out ten percent of the remaining newbies by the short cycle's close. So, keep a close eye on your standings."

This change hit the lower ranks hardest. Without a locked count, those teetering on the edge could slip up on their positions and get booted outright.

The group buzzed about it briefly before quieting down—after all, they were elite performers.

Noticing Zizikaba still hanging around, dread gripped everyone's chests. What fresh scheme was this jerk plotting?

"How were the last cycles for you? Starting to get the hang of it? Great. For this cycle, we've tossed in extra creatures to each zone—tougher ones that dish out more points. So, go wild hunting, or... drop dead quicker!"

"Fine, third cycle kicks off!"

………………………………………………

"Boss, aren't we heading to our planned spots from before?" Jie Kui trailed after Ye Zhongming into an unfamiliar zone, puzzled why they skipped the prepped hunting grounds.

"Nope, we're skipping them," Ye Zhongming answered, offering no more details.

"So... we're not tailing Aimusi to finish her off?"

Jie Kui pressed on. He couldn't shake the unease of having a foe like her lurking. To him, with their solid points buffer against elimination, they ought to shadow Aimusi and dedicate the cycle to ending her.

"Spot that lady earlier?"

Helsky's query made Jie Kui hesitate. True enough, he hadn't caught sight of her anywhere in the camp.

"You're saying..."

Helsky dipped his head. "I went hunting for her on purpose. Not to strike right away, but to track her moves and stay ready for surprises. Yet that woman vanished into thin air. She had to have been around the camp, but no sign of her anywhere."

Helsky's statement draped a chill over the team's spirits.

"Drop it for now. She'll track us down eventually," Ye Zhongming halted the guesses and slapped his palms together. "We've got two days to rack up points here as fast as we can. Here's my strategy..."

Ye Zhongming pulled out a map—a thorough layout of the zone's details, snagged from the store at a hefty fifty-point cost.

He split the squad into compact units, handing out varied paths for them to cover while backing one another up. If something manageable popped up, they'd chase it down swiftly; if trouble loomed too big, they'd summon reinforcements.

The crew liked this approach, as it dodged handout squabbles and boosted their output.

Moreover, nobody quizzed him on the post-two-day moves—obviously, Boss Ye had something mapped out.

And so, those two days flew by in a flash.

The stretch went off without a hitch. Points climbed nicely for all, with most rankings climbing or holding steady. Just Ye Zhongming and He's stayed put.

That made sense—the loftier the rank, the cutthroat the rivalry, and gaining even a single notch proved a real grind.

Through the duo of days teaming up, veterans and fresh faces bonded more tightly. Their sharper teamwork forged stronger unity, lifting the vibe way above prior levels.

On the final morning of the short cycle, the full group assembled, munching away while eyeing Ye Zhongming.

They sensed the leader's hidden scheme was ready to unfold.

"Out of everyone here, who isn't a drafted fighter but got picked straight from their homeworld?"

The team puzzled over his intent but followed suit, lifting hands. Only Helsky, Ye Zhongming, and Jie Kui kept theirs down; the rest came via their species' drafts.

Ye Zhongming gave a nod. Both he and Helsky hailed from Earth, and he clicked well with Jie Kui. This setup would ease pushback on the plan ahead.

"Right now, we're all greenhorns, but a few cycles from now, that changes." Ye Zhongming scanned the faces and spoke deliberately, "Since most are drafted fighters, you get what our duties become once newbie status ends, yeah?"

"That's why I figure we ought to plan long-term to guarantee we last." Ye Zhongming held up, noting the silent attention, then went on, "Cosmic races have bombed out countless times—no, they've never pulled off a win. So my scheme is..."

"To claim victory on my watch!"